


Yellow Angels

by SocialDisease609



Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: AU, Basically, Drug Abuse, Drug Use, F/F, Flashbacks, Homelessness, No Cult AU, Religious Themes, Therapy, accepting oneself, alana rook, charity man joseph seed, first girlfriend, give this a chance i feel really good about this au, got the title from a senses fail song, homophobic family warning, it was playing while i was writing and i was like buddy this is perfect thank you, its gonna be wholesome for the most part, look up the lyrics, motivational speaker john seed, no archive warning because there is no warning for drug abuse, old life vs new life, original deputy, physical therapist jacob seed, running from your past, so just a fair warning, that's my deputy, the cult is actually a social services organization!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:01:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24870481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SocialDisease609/pseuds/SocialDisease609
Summary: After a hard life of being ostracized from her community and family, Rachel Jessop stumbles across the charity of a man named Joseph Seed. With his help, she gets a roof over her head, resources for combating her substance-abuse, and the chance at a new identity.While dipping her toes in the waters of this second chance, Rachel comes across the newest deputy in town, who sweeps her off her unexpecting feet. However, Rachel worries what the Deputy will think of her if she finds out the truth about who she really is (fluff yall, if you believe Faith deserves it like I do lol)
Relationships: Female Deputy | Judge/Faith Seed
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22





	Yellow Angels

**Author's Note:**

> So, there is drug use in this chapter, but it is brief.  
> I am not intending to glorify or romanticize drug use in any way, nor am I trying to trigger anyone who is fighting that battle. 
> 
> Here is a link if you, or anyone you know, may need help:  
> https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline
> 
> And if you do not reside in America and need help, I urge you to find the resources available in your country! You are loved! Be strong!

THREE MONTHS AGO

  
Rachel Jessop stood in the soup line of Eden’s Gate Halfway House, with hair locked and matted, dirt under her fingernails, almost skin and bone, with her hands holding out her bowl for a hot meal. There were three men operating the line, among a few volunteers- the first man, dressed well in a bright blue button up and neatly pressed slacks, handed out the bowls and spoons. The second, dressed in an old Army blouse, handed out water bottles and a cut of bread loaf, while the third, brandishing a bolo tie and aviators, carried the ladle for the soup. This man could have just poured her serving and moved onto the next person when she stepped up, but instead, he held up the line for just a few moments, and said, “When you’re finished with your meal, please find me.”

Rachel immediately felt hostile and paranoid. Why would he want to see her? What did she do? Her mind stirred with fictional accusations, angered with defensiveness. But she had drained her soup hungrily, not wanting the broth to get cold, not wanting the soft pieces of celery, carrots, and chicken to get mushy. Maybe he’d give her a second serving, she thought, her stomach not full, even after tearing her bread apart with her teeth.

“What is it?” she had asked when she walked up, the hostility undoubtable.

The man smiled at her and nudged a volunteer to take his place in the serving. Stepping aside, he stood in front of her.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” he said, “Are you new in town?”

“As if you can memorize all the homeless,” Rachel scoffed.

“Oh, it’s just that, a lot of the people among us today are well aware of our services here in Hope County, I’ve seen many more than once. I try to help them all out the best I can, beyond meals. Maybe I can help you too.”

Rachel wanted to roll her eyes. Typical of men, pretending to be offering help when they only had ulterior motives.

“I’m not interested in sucking you off for a pack of cigarettes, if that’s what you’re proposing,” she said.

The man’s eyes had widened in shock. “I’m not saying that at all!” Shaking off the blow, he then reached inside his blazer pocket, withdrawing a pamphlet. “I can tell you don’t feel like talking,” he said. “I don’t expect anyone to open up when they first meet a stranger, but please, have a look at the pamphlet. If there’s anything in there, anything in our services that can help you, I urge you to come see us again. Just ask for Joseph.”

Rachel took the pamphlet just to escape him, and made the trek back to her squat, an old foreclosed two-story home shared by others like her.

“Hey there, darlin’,” mumbled just another faceless person in her life. “Got a real nice supply today. Let me give you a hit… for free…”

“For free?” Rachel murmured, not even sparing this person a glance. She looked at the peeling wallpaper and the long-since burnt out lightbulbs in the fixtures as she reclined against the dirty and torn couch. She wondered, as she felt this companion tie her left arm tightly with a shoe string, if a happy family had lived her a long time ago.

“That’s right, baby…” the man muttered, tapping a vein of hers that was surfacing.

“Nothing’s ever free…” Rachel hissed as he pressed his needle into her. She never liked being pricked, or feeling her arm heat up with blood as her veins suffocated with tourniquets, but the rush of absolute divinity and relief that seeped into her from the needle? She gasped every time, like the expected, yet still sudden surprise of the first push of sex. Her eyes rolled back in her head as the poison burned through her veins, soaking her brain with the hormones it felt so deprived of.

“For you, darlin’,” the man continued to grumble, kissing the puncture mark with his chapped lips. “Free. But when you want that next hit in a few minutes, we can work something out?”  
Rachel laughed at his proposal, feeling her voice shake in her ribcage. God, she felt so good. So super powered, so ready to take on the world.

“Laugh all you want,” he grimaced, loosening the string from her arm, “but when that high crashes you’ll do anything for more, baby, trust me. This ain’t your average coke…”

“I’ll just find some other fool willing to give me some for free,” Rachel grinned broadly, still staring at the light fixtures. She swore the long dead bulbs were humming with a fresh electric current, ready to turn back on any second now.

“Just spread those legs for me and you’ll have as many hits as you want for every supply, baby,” his hand slide up her thigh, pushing the fabric of her dress.

Shivering from the touch, Rachel smacked his hand away with a loud clap.

“Come on,” the man groaned, nursing his hand. “You’ve done it before!”

“Yeah, and look at us today- still not giving me an unlimited supply,” Rachel grumbled. “Now stop ruining my fucking high. Go find someone else in this house to give empty promises to.”

He mumbled something like whore or bitch as he left, Rachel didn’t care, she heard it all before, from all kinds of people for years.

Shuffling on the couch, Rachel heard something crumple loudly in her coat pocket. She shifted against the back of the couch once more, stimulating the sound again. It was awfully loud and pleasant. Sighing, she reached into her pocket for the source, disappointed in the man who had just left. So much for a strong batch, if anything, it just made her have heightened vision and hearing.

She held what came out of her pocket above her head. It was the pamphlet the man at the soup line had given her. With nothing better to do, she opened the flaps.

_The Project at Eden’s Gate: Halfway House- We Are All Family;_ the title had read _._  
 _At Eden’s Gate, we open our arms to all those who suffer. Our services enlist the help of specialists all around Hope County, with the shared goal of reintegrating everyone back into society with financial stability, mental and physical fitness, and a place to call home._  
 _Currently, we provide assistance for:_  
 _\- Domestic Abuse_  
 _\- Sexual Assault_  
 _\- Substance Abuse_  
 _\- LGBT Youth_  
 _\- Unemployment_  
 _\- PTSD_  
 _\- Depression, Anxiety, and Suicidal Thoughts_

_Further assistance in housing is available for those in need and supplied based on availability._

_Founded by Joseph Seed, and coordinated with the help of his brothers, John and Jacob, Eden’s Gate is an organization inspired from spiritual teachings. However, Eden’s Gate is a sanctuary for all, regardless of the spirituality of any Family Member._

Rachel continued searching through the folds, intrigued, but not completely sold just yet.

_There is no fee for Eden’s Gate-_

Rachel almost gave herself a papercut at the startling statement.

_The Project at Eden’s Gate is a non-profit organization, and all specialists are volunteer-based. Resources within the organization, such as room furnishings, dining facility meals, and anything else needed is funded from donations and Joseph Seed’s personal contributions._

_All treatment that requires a licensed practitioner is conducted by such a person. The Project at Eden’s Gate is in accordance with required law._

Rachel thought about this for a good moment. It all sounded too good to be true, but she had to weigh her options. This Joseph Seed was offering her payment-free services for rehabilitation. Cafeteria food, a room full of bunks, and a bunch of self-proclaimed therapists to talk to all day in exchange for abandoning cocaine…

It sounded like a good deal. Deep down the emaciated spirit of Rachel Jessop trembled with glee. _A chance to live again, to have my own life again!_

But the hardened diamond Rachel had become snorted at the probability. She'd go, alright. She'd go and get free meals, get a clean bed and a chance at hot showers. But she would slip out. She’d escaped from places before, and find her next hit, sneaking back in before they knew.

A tremor shook her limbs and she crumpled the pamphlet in her hand, as if it were a rail to hold onto. She thought it was just her usual aches, her body shaking for the drug- but after a deeper intuition, Rachel realized she was gripping the literature with anger. She was disappointed in herself. It came out of nowhere, she felt. The smaller internal Rachel, the one that had been dying slowly all these years had a burst of energy, and took hold of her actions, taking the control away from this new Rachel. This rough and conniving Rachel.

_How about you give it a chance?_ The old Rachel had demanded this time, instead of its usual whimper and pleading. _How about you actually do it? FOR ONCE._

* * *

The next morning, she walked from her squat back to Eden’s Gate. She didn’t pack up any personal belongings, as she had none. Just arrived barefoot, hair tangled and greasy, her dress permanently stained from years of use, and her dark green overcoat that she had been given from a shelter two years ago on her back.

She was ready for the staff to look down at her, snarl their lips and keep their distance, like people did in the streets, but they smiled bright and kept their eyes focused on her own. The eye contact chilled her more than the judgement she faced when she panhandled.

Rachel then named dropped Joseph, as if they would turn her away if she didn’t have a reference, and they immediately went to get him. When he arrived, he smiled just a wide as everyone else.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” he said. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t get your name at the soup line the other day, that was rude of me. I guess I just got so excited about serving a new face that I lost some of my manners. You can forgive me, right?”

“Sure,” Rachel murmured. “It’s uh… it’s Rachel.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Rachel,” Joseph continued to smile, his voice tranquil and inviting. “Let’s take this somewhere private to fill out some paperwork. Would you like to be assisted by a confidential advocate?”

“A what?”

“A confidential advocate. You can fill out your paperwork with just me, if you wish, but we have volunteer confidential advocates on site that can supervise our consultation.”

“No, that’s okay,” Rachel grumbled. The less direct attention, the better.

Joseph had led her to his office, which was decorated from wall to wall and bookshelf to bookshelf in religious regalia.

“You said people can get services here without being religious, right?” Rachel checked, feeling overwhelmed by the Christian imagery.

“That is correct,” Joseph said, pulling a chair out for Rachel in front of his desk. “I am a man of faith,” he continued, sitting down at his own chair on the opposite side, “And I simply love my religion. But I will never counsel anyone with religious themes unless they ask so. While I may be a Christian man, I am versed in other religions to provide different services- like a military chaplain, if you will. However, Eden’s Gate of course can summon actual religious leaders to the facility. It’ll take some time of course, but we’ll always give people shelter while they wait for their rabbi or Imam, or whoever it may be. We once made a call to the Satanic Temple!”

“Stop lying,” Rachel smirked.

“It was a virtual call,” Joseph shrugged while smiling, “But it still helped. Our client was able to receive the help they needed, and that’s what we strive for here. Now speaking of help, what can I do for you, Rachel…”

He now had a clipboard and pen in hand, the writing instrument freezing after etching her first name on the form.

“… Jessop…” Rachel murmured, her ears turning red from shame. Joseph would most likely associate her to the Jessop Conservatory, and rightly so, that was owned by her family.

“Jessop…” he parroted, continuing his scribbling. To Rachel’s surprise he made no connection to her family, or rather, chose not to. She was grateful for it. “And what services would you like to receive today?”

Rachel’s jaw set in irritation. Wasn’t it enough that she was here? Was humiliation part of the ‘treatment’?

“I want to kick my drug habit…” she grimaced, looking away from him to settle her eyes on his books.

“Of course, what a great decision you’ve made, Rachel,” Joseph praised. “We can absolutely help you with that and see you to success. Addictions are quite a battle, so do not think lowly of yourself when we start the fight and you feel tired. We can give you a medical detox, if you wish, keeping you here for just 24 hours under medical supervision, or, you can take the detox and a 10-week inpatient program.”

Rachel laughed from this bizarre reality. A detox? Ten-week program? These things had never been offered to her. Well, she also never found a place like this before. 

“How is this free?” She asked. “The real world doesn’t let people get better for free. Not unless it’s unethical or low-quality service.”

“Well, technically it’s not free-”

“I knew it!” Rachel said triumphantly, leaning back in her chair with satisfaction.

“I pay for the treatment,” Joseph recovered from her interruption. “The State of Montana will charge The Project at Eden’s Gate for the program, but instead of you and your insurance paying for it, I do. What does it matter to them who pays? As long as they get their money, that’s all they should care about.”

Rachel blinked once, then twice, then stood up from her chair.

“I’m going to leave,” she said, her eyes looking for the door. “This is ridiculous. I don’t want you paying for my services. I don’t want to feel indebted to you. I don’t like any of this. Where do you even get your money from?”

“Rachel, please,” Joseph got up from his chair, but not in a rush, still calm and collected, a hand pressing his bolo tie to his white button-up shirt. “I don’t do this to put people in debt, or anything like that. It is how I have chosen to live my Christian life, helping everyone I can. The money I use comes from Seed Construction, my construction company. We’re the leading company in all of Montana, and build everything from schools to grocery stores, down to the tallest business buildings in Helena.”

“You use your own paycheck to make all this happen?” Rachel asked incredulously, an eyebrow raised.

“I do,” Joseph nodded, “And from time to time, my brothers contribute as well, especially to their own programs within Eden’s Gate.”

“But how?” Rachel asked, genuinely confused. How could someone want to do that? She had never seen someone so easily part with their money, and for the sake of benefiting another person.

“Because I want to help,” Joseph said easily. “I care, and this is the way I want to spend my life. Please don’t turn down this opportunity because of me. Rachel, regardless of what people may have told you, but there is nothing wrong with accepting help. We’re all in this world together, and no one gets by alone.”

Rachel’s feet were glued to the spot as she pondered, her jaw still set stubbornly. He had a point, and that feeble Rachel that was struggling to stay alive within her had taken hold once more.

_Just try_ , she echoed within herself. _Just try_ …

“Fine…” Rachel surrendered. “How do we do this?”

Those first twenty-four hours were the worst of her life. She writhed against her bed, dragging the linen off the mattress, leaving it bare, she pounded on the door to be let out, she cursed the medical professional assigned to her detox, and only clawed his face when he came in to deliver a styrofoam tray with a quaint meal. 

But she had succeeded in her battle, and through the coldest shakes and shivers, through long episodes of overwhelming fatigue and appetite changes, Rachel was declared graduated from the ten-week program. Under normal circumstances, patients would have been discharged to return home, but Rachel had no home, and Joseph knew that. So, he extended her stay, telling her he would help her find a job. While she was to work, she would save her money for her own place while comfortably staying in her room at Eden’s Gate.

Rachel never thought the day would come, and as she laid in her bed at night, she thought about how far she had come. Would her mama be proud? The one who stopped looking her in the eye? Would her father forgive her? The one who threw her out of his home with his own hands? 

Joseph told her she had a special place in this world, that everyone did. Now that she had felt like she was properly utilizing a second chance, she felt butterflies flutter in her stomach. She wanted what she missed out on the past seven years: a stressful job, her own place, possessions to earn and cherish, and most importantly, the one thing Joseph told her she absolutely deserved, no matter what her upbringing branded into her, and that was a woman to love. 

_God, a new life_...

Rachel could barely contain her excitement. 

**Author's Note:**

> Next chapter will feature:
> 
> Rachel attending a physical therapy session with Jacob.  
> Rachel attending a motivational session with John.  
> annnnddddddddd getting employment help from Joseph, which will lead to her starting the Sapphic adventures she needs to be nourished with from my Deputy lmao


End file.
